Your Humble Scribe

Monday, February 18, 2008

Taser C2

Well, I have managed to coon-finger the Taser C2 -- designed to be marketed to the non-law-enforcement sector of the population.

I'm trying to like the citizen-version of the Taser. I really am. 30 seconds of The Dying Cockroach is the sort of thing that just warms my little Neandertal heart -- but I have some concerns about the whole set-up.

Once the 30-seconds of ride is over, the critter is perfectly able to get to his feet and gambol off none the worse for wear.

Yes, you have stopped the attack against yourself -- and that is truly A Good Thing. However, thirty seconds later the critter is perfectly able to continue his critter-ish activities.

If only there were some way to mark the critter so he could be easily found by the authorities later, or maybe to cause some slight damage to the critter to allow future victims a greater chance to escape his activities.

Like, say, whacking him a time or six with a fire axe while he's doing his 30 seconds of convulsing, or maybe taking advantage of that half-a-minute to park a convenient vehicle on his chest -- you know, little things to help law enforcement and the community in general.

Not that I can advise that sort of thing, you understand -- the Sheriff goes through enough Maalox as it is -- but it would be nice if Taser would take a look at upgrading their training a bit.

Plus, the Taser C2 runs about 350 US dollars. One shot, fifteen-foot range, $350. And each single reload is about $25.

Let me take off the shoes here ... 350 dollars for the unit, plus 25 dollars per shot ...

Ye tapdancing Buddha.

For that amount of money you can get a decent used pistol in .38 or 9mm and have multiple shots -- plus I can get Winchester white box at about 20 shots for 15 bucks.

Meh.

The Taser C2 is okay if you're philosophically opposed to the whole "Blood Out, Air In" method of critter control; or if you're stuck in some Third World hell-hole that won't let you carry a firearm (like New York or California); or maybe if gun-shots, blood and screaming upsets your stomach -- but other than that I think I'll just stay with my bang-sticks.

39 comments:

nurf
said...

Maybe they could add a cannister type squirt gun for UV detectable fluid? (works great on CSI!)Combine it with some sorta pepper spray and you'd give the bad guys something else to bother with past those thirty seconds at the same time yer marking them for future ID.

Excellent commentary as always, but may I ask what handgun you had in mind that sells for $350 used? My here Gun Trader's Guide says a new Bersa Thunder 9 sells for an average of $260 new. This leaves plenty more money for ammunition, fire axes, fuel for the car, or whatever backup systems you suggest. Remember, a smart shopper can get much more bang for the buck, literally. (Source: Gun Trader's Guide, 30th ed. p34)

Keep in mind that many places that prohibit the keeping and carry of useful self defense weapons (like firearms) may well also ban Tasers and similar devices. Once they start to hear about people carrying these, if they aren't already illegal, I'm sure they will become so.

I live in one of those locales where concealed carry permits are a major ordeal. Also, I'm afraid I'd shoot myself before the critter -- intensive training needed. OTOH, I'd probably shoot myself with the Taser too and have nothing left to use against the critter, so S&W would certainly be my preference.

This is all making me wish I'd started martial arts when the kids did. Each of my older sons has had to take down one or more critters while unarmed (one in a school setting where neither firearms nor tasers would have been permitted). Neither of my sons sustained any damage, but my #2 son left 2 gits on the sidewalk whining for their mothers. His father was a little disturbed that he didn't hang around to discuss the situation with the local constabulary (he was 2000 miles from home), but they weren't going to be doing any damage to any one else that evening. Maybe not for a while.

In defense of Taser, I believe the unit will allow you to zap the subject repeatedly once the probes are implanted. AND you can use is as a contact device whether there are probes in the magazine or not.

And of course, 30 seconds will allow you plenty of time to pull your BUG from your sock or thigh holster (for the ladies) or pocket.

Also, don't you have to leave the gizmo behind for it to keep zapping the critter? If so, then shooting it for real means you're out of pocket $375, not $25. Granted the cops will keep your gun until the Grand Jury no-bills you, but you will be getting it back. Joel Critter, on the other hand, is likely to abscond with the gizmo and pawn it for a rock of crack later.

RE: marking the critter post-zap: wouldn't a few .451" holes be adequate identification? Thirty seconds isn't much, but I don't know anyone who can't draw, aim and fire at least three rounds in that time, and maybe even get the earplugs in as well.

Looks kinda bulky. And it's advertised as non-gun-like in form. Why change something that has worked for 100+years? So Joel Critter won't mistake it for a gun? How is that a BAD THING?

As for a "marker" for critters(and there certainly has to be room in that blocky thing for such), I suggest a mix of neon pink dye and well aged feline urine, the latter being as much of a deterrent as the voltage......

I don't want to be accused of making this call based solely on thrift or anything ($25 a shot? How does one practice?), but I'm coming down on the side of the line with the permanently disabling gadgetry. Here's to the proper ventilation of defective human tissues.

I prefer to STOP the bad guy, not just delay his advance. There is no guarantee I'll have an avenue of escape, and in my health I'm not so sure I could do so if I had an open field in front with marked lanes to guide me.

Count yourself lucky L.D.! Up here we can't even get a C2 Taser. We're trying to change this, (check out Canadacarry.org) but it'll be awhile before we can even use pepper spray on anything besides dogs and bears.

When we do though, it'll be ol' slabsides (TRP Operator) or my trusty P229R for me!

Actually I'm thinking of getting one of these for my wife, who ventures regularly into the "felony if handgun brought here" zones. I think you absolutely HAVE to get the one with the laser sight, and I'll get her the one with the MP3 holster. Look-- it's that, or she goes unarmed. (She won't carry a pistol.)

Taser, the professional models anywway, aren't bad ... but the puny civvie version?

No thanks.

Give me my .357 S&W 586 any day of the week. I prefer that anyone stupid enough to come after me not be able to go after another mark for a while. Blood Out/Air In ... is a tried and true method of critter control.

" If only there were some way to mark the critter so he could be easily found by the authorities later, or maybe to cause some slight damage to the critter to allow future victims a greater chance to escape his activities."

I think that's why you're always supposed to carry a knife...... and a lighter.

Now, if the citizens would quit their bi&%hing about use on people, all would be good. Hey, if they prefer to get their butt whipped in a takedown, whatever. Knowing most cops, I would prefer to be tased, please. (and someone please tell the press that it is tased, not tasered!)

Yeah, I'm with you on this. I've been stunned with the garden variety stun guns that were supposed to be the most powerful ones a civilian can own.

I bought them for my wife and daughters and had them try them out by stunning me a time or 5.

Didn't do shit except piss me off.

I took the girls and taught them how to shoot, sent them for some self defense and gun safety training and a CCW class.

Once they got their permits I bought each one a nice little .38 special or 9mm depending on their preference and they all three carry all the time where it is legal to do so.

It does a man's heart good knowing his girls can take care of themselves.

Now that law enforcement Taser is a different story. I've seen people hit with them and go down hard. I mean really big guys like myself. I don't want to let anyone test one of them on me.

As far as pepper spray, I think it is a joke. I've seen more than one can emptied in a person's eyes and he just kept charging at the person spraying him. Not a good self defense apparatus in my opinion.

Give me my little Chief's Special with Hornady XTP .45 JHPs in it and I'm good to go as long as I have a spare magazine full just in case.

If all of those folks with two assholes and no sense had stayed where they belonged and not moved to california and bred it might still be a good place to live.In my county a ccw is not available to average citizens,but concealed carry is a "wobbler".I chose a J frame hammerless smith,magnaported it,got an action job and lasergrips for $650 total.I feed it nyclads.I love my 1911,but I want a wheelgun for my "oh shit!" pistol.

Actually, Assrot, the C2 puts out the same charge as the LEO model (X26), but for longer. It works as well, because, the probes are spread. That's if they both hit. If one hits, then you have to do something that's hard to do, and drive-stun them, meaning that you advance on them.

Bad thing is, it's a one shot deal, for an altercation. But it has a decent chance of working, if you wait til they're close.

My wife carries an SK Electronics Mdl SK1200 Air Taser here in Kalifornia. It has a 17 foot range and the firing chamber detaches leaving a high-power stun gun if you still haven't convinced someone.

We paid just over a hundred bucks three years ago and are very happy with the unit. I tried a Google search for them today with no luck. I don't know if Taser has put them out of business or if they just didn't show up.

If you can find them, it is a good alternative to the big buck official Taser units.

Of course, home use calls for the Colt Lawman or Mini-14 (with Kalifornia approved 10 round magazine).

Where I live (near Chicago), not only can I not carry a gun legally, I can't carry a taser either. It's good to read the comments, and realize that the taser wouldn't be worth the money used to purchase it. (The aldermen who wrote the bans on these weapons also wrote laws permitting themselves to carry concealed handguns.)

I've had malfunctions with wheelguns. S&W at that, not some off-brand.

For that matter, my buddy Byron fired a model 57 that looked barely used. It was out of timing, and only the fact that he (like a good shooter) was wearing eye pro kept his eyes from getting fragments. Peppered his cheeks with little holes...

I would have to agree that the Taser C2 is a bit pricey at $350+, but I'd easily pay $350 to avoid the possibility of going to jail and/or having to deal with a lengthy/costly legal battle. You'd easily spend $1000+ for a lawyer in the event of a shooting and if a case ever made it all the way to trial, you'd probably spend $50,000-150,000. This does NOT include time away from work without pay. Back the Taser up with an SP101 or S&W in the event of multiple perps, but avoid having to use it unless a life is on the line. Just my $.02.